Automotive lamp

Abstract

An automotive lamp includes a first lamp unit, a second lamp unit, and a third lamp unit. The first lamp unit illuminates a first region having its longitudinal direction in the horizontal direction and having its upper edge defining a horizontal cutoff line in the low-beam mode and the high-beam mode. The second lamp unit illuminates a second region having its longitudinal direction in an oblique direction inclined with respect to the horizontal direction and having its upper edge defining an oblique cutoff line in the low-beam mode and the high-beam mode. The third lamp unit illuminates a third region having its longitudinal direction in an oblique direction inclined with respect to the horizontal direction and having its lower edge parallel to the oblique cutoff line.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An automotive lamp structured to be switchable between a low-beam mode and a high-beam mode, comprising:
 a first lamp unit structured to illuminate a first region having its longitudinal direction in a horizontal direction, and having its upper edge that defines a horizontal cutoff line in both the low-beam mode and the high-beam mode; 
 a second lamp unit structured to illuminate a second region having its longitudinal direction in a direction inclined with respect to the horizontal direction, and having its upper edge that defines an oblique cutoff line in both the low-beam mode and the high-beam mode; and 
 a third lamp unit structured to illuminate a third region having its longitudinal direction in a direction inclined with respect to the horizontal direction, and having its lower edge parallel to the oblique cutoff line in the high-beam mode. 
 
     
     
       2. The automotive lamp according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower edge of the third region is aligned with the oblique cutoff line or is positioned below the oblique cutoff line. 
     
     
       3. The automotive lamp according to  claim 1 , wherein the first region has a longitudinal length that is longer than those of the second region and the third region. 
     
     
       4. The automotive lamp according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one from among the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit provides a lower light intensity in the high beam mode than the light intensity thereof in the high-beam mode. 
     
     
       5. The automotive lamp according to  claim 1 , wherein the first lamp unit through the third lamp unit each have substantially the same optical configuration. 
     
     
       6. The automotive lamp according to  claim 1 , wherein the first lamp unit through the third lamp unit each comprise:
 a light-emitting element; and 
 a translucent member structured to emit output light of the light-emitting element toward a front side of the lamp, 
 wherein the translucent member comprises:
 a direct light controller structured to directly output light from the light-emitting element toward the front side of the lamp after it is incident to the translucent member; and 
 a total reflection controller structured to output light toward the front side of the lamp after the light emitted from the light-emitting element and incident to the translucent member is totally reflected, 
 
 wherein the total reflection controller has a total reflection face divided into a plurality of reflection regions defined in a circumferential portion of the direct light controller extending in a circumferential direction, 
 and wherein a plurality of diffusion lens elements are formed in an output face of the translucent member so as to diffuse output light from the translucent member in a predetermined direction. 
 
     
     
       7. The automotive lamp according to  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of diffusion lens elements of the first lamp unit are arranged in a horizontal direction as viewed in a front view,
 and wherein the plurality of diffusion lens elements of the second lamp unit and the third lamp unit are arranged in an oblique direction as viewed in a front view. 
 
     
     
       8. The automotive lamp according to  claim 6 , wherein the translucent members of the first lamp unit, the second lamp unit, and the third lamp unit may be monolithically formed as a single unit. 
     
     
       9. The automotive lamp according to  claim 6 , wherein the light-emitting elements of the first lamp unit, the second lamp unit, and the third lamp unit and a lighting circuit thereof are mounted on the same substrate. 
     
     
       10. The automotive lamp according to  claim 1 , wherein the first lamp unit through the third lamp unit are arranged such that the centers thereof are positioned at vertices of a virtual triangle as viewed in a front view. 
     
     
       11. The automotive lamp according to  claim 1 , wherein the first lamp unit through the third lamp unit are arranged on the same straight line as viewed in a front view.